The Hobby Lobby case had folks thinking in terms of small, mom-and-pop firms on Main Street, Smalltown, Indiana. But the terminology used — closely-held family owned businesses — includes such corporate behemoths as Mars (the candy makers), Bechtel, Cargill, Koch Industries, and Dell.
Remember, those are now all entities with religious viewpoints that have to be respected.
Hobby Lobby: ‘Closely Held’ Does Not Mean ‘Mom and Pop’ |
In the Supreme Court’s decision in Hobby Lobby, the Court held for the first time ever that a for-profit corporation counts as a “person” under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act and that a “closely held” corporation basically shares the religious exercise rights of its owners.
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No, it doesn't…and I'm sure anyone trying to invoke "Hobby Lobby Clause" is going to be scrutinized closer than a group with "Patriot" in it's name filing for tax exempt status.
All this gnashing of teeth and exploding heads is pretty premature, in my opinion.
Given the plethora of suits filed before the ruling, the mixed results of same in federal courts and circuits, and the immediate rhetoric from the zany right, I'm not at all confident that there will be any such restraint.
But you're right — we'll see.
+Mark Means You're sure of lots of things, aren't you?
Many things, +Scott Randel